Cables fixing apparatus for backlight module

ABSTRACT

A cables fixing apparatus for a backlight module includes a rear frame having a leading-out area in a side edge provided with a plurality of protrusions thereof; a lamp cable led out from said leading-out area; and a mold frame provided with a plurality of crooks, wherein each of said crooks faces one of said protrusions on said side edge of said rear frame so as to define a cable groove, and said lamp cable is accommodated and fixed in said cable groove along an edge of said rear frame. These protrusions of the rear frame and these crooks of the mold frame are utilized to arrange and fix the lamp cable in the cable groove to avoid the fracturing problem of solder joint of lamp and prevent the interference as assembling because of the displacement issue of the lamp cable.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of and claims prioritybenefit of an application Ser. No. 11/453,029, filed on Jun. 15, 2006,now allowed. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application ishereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of thisspecification.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention generally relates to a backlight module, and moreespecially, to a cables fixing apparatus for the backlight module.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Recently, liquid crystal display (LCD) has been utilized widely. Withthe improvement of the drive technology of LCD, the LCD has the featuresof low power consumption, thin type, and low drive voltage, and has beenwidely used on mobile telecommunication apparatus, notebook, desktopdisplay, and any kind of the projection equipments. One of the mostcommonly used LCD is thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD. Because the TFT LCDdoes not illuminate itself, the backlight module is utilized to providea light source to the TFT LCD. No matter what kind of the light sourceis used, the wire of the backlight module must be let out from theleading-out area thereof during the backlight module assembly process soas to connect with the power supply.

Generally speaking, the conductive terminals of the light source areconnected with the external wires by soldering or copper strip. Thejoints between the conductive terminals of the light source and theexternal wires tend to be separated when the external wires aresubjected to external stress due to pulling or dragging of the wires. Inaddition, the abovementioned stress may be transmitted to the lampthereby causing the break damage of the lamp.

In general, the aluminum plate is used to be the base plate in order toprovide a support to other elements of the backlight module. FIG. 1shows a schematic partial view of the assembled backlight module inaccordance with the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, the backlight module10 includes a rear frame 20, a plurality of crooks 30 and a light source(not shown in FIG. 1). The wires 40 of the light source extend outwardlyfrom the rear frame 20 and connect to a connecter (not shown) which, inturn, connects with a power. As shown in FIG. 1, a wire holder or thecrooks 30 are conventionally utilized to fix the exposed wires 40.However, in this kind of fixing method, the wires 40 may go beyond theedge, for example in the direction A as shown in the figure, and mayinterfere with other mechanism to cause the wires 40 to be damagedduring the backlight module assembly process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the problems mentioned above, the invention provides acables fixing apparatus for the backlight module. The protrusions of therear frame and the crooks of the mold frame are utilized to fix the lampcable so as to avoid the displacement issue of the lamp cable andprevent the lamp from the damage by an external stress due to pulling ordragging of the lamp cable.

The protrusions of the rear frame and the crooks of the mold frame canbe utilized to fix the lamp cable in limited space so as to meet thenarrow bezel design. Besides, because of cable holder is unnecessary,the production cost will be lower down.

Accordingly, a cables fixing apparatus for a backlight module accordingto an embodiment of the invention includes a rear frame having aleading-out area in a side edge provided with a plurality of protrusionsthereof; a lamp cable; and a mold frame provided with a plurality ofcrooks, wherein the crooks face to any one of the protrusions on theside edge of the rear frame so as to define a cable groove to fix thelamp cable led out from the leading-out area.

Furthermore, a backlight module according to another embodiment of theinvention includes: a rear frame having a plurality of protrusions in aside edge; at least a light source arranged on the rear frame, whereinthe light source has a lamp cable; and a mold frame having a pluralityof crooks, wherein the crooks face to any one of the protrusions so asto define a cable groove to fix the lamp cable.

Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example,certain embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the accompanying advantages of thisinvention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomesbetter understood by reference to the following detailed description,when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic partial view of the architecture of the backlightmodule, in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of the architecture of the backlightmodule of an embodiment, in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic partial view of the architecture of the cablesfixing apparatus for the backlight module of another embodiment, inaccordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of the architecture of the backlightmodule of an embodiment in accordance with the invention. In theembodiment, the backlight module 100 includes a rear frame 110, a lightsource 120, and a mold frame 130, wherein the rear frame 110 and themold frame 130 can be engaged with each other so as to fix the lightsource 120 and the lamp cable 122 thereof. Such as shown in FIG. 2, therear frame 110 is made of the metal materials and has a plurality ofprotrusions 112 in the appropriate position, for example the side edge111 of the rear frame 110. In one embodiment, the rear frame 110 furtherincludes a base plate 113. The light source 120 is arranged above therear frame 110, and has a lamp cable 122 led out from the leading-outarea B of the rear frame 110. In order to prevent the damage of the lampcable 122 from the rear frame 110, any one of a heat shrinkable tube andan insulating material can be utilized to cover the lamp cable 122. Themold frame 130 can be engaged with the rear frame 110 and has aplurality of crooks 132, especially on the side edge of the mold frame130 for instance, wherein the crooks 132 face to any one of theprotrusions 112. The protrusions 112 and the crooks 132 can prevent thelamp cable 122 from the displacement issue causing by an external force.Besides, in the embodiment, any one of the crooks 132′ also can projectfrom the side edge 111 of the rear frame 110, and the opening directionof any one of the crooks 132′ face to the lamp cable 122.

In the embodiment, the rear frame 110 is made of the metal, the aluminumplate for example, further including a trench utilized to arrange thelight source 120. The light source 120 is applied to any one of thedirect-light type backlight module and the side-light type backlightmodule. Furthermore, the rear frame 110 and the protrusions 112 thereofare one-piece form.

Moreover, please refer to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a schematic partial view ofthe architecture of the cables fixing apparatus. FIG. 3 shows moreclearly the relative position between the lamp cable 122, theprotrusions 112 of the rear frame 110, and the crooks 132, 132′ of themold frame 130. But the position of the crooks 132, 132′ and theprotrusions 112 are just an embodiment, these can't limit the invention.Such as shown in the figure, the rear frame 110 is made of the metal andhas a leading-out area B in a side edge 111 provided with a plurality ofprotrusions 112 thereof, wherein the rear frame 110 and the protrusions112 thereof are one-piece form. In one embodiment, the rear frame 110further includes a base plate 113. The lamp cable 122 of the lightsource leads out from the leading-out area B so as to connect withexternal power supply. The mold frame 130 has a plurality of crooks 132,132′ in the opposite position of the protrusions 112 of the rear frame110, wherein the crooks 132 face to any one of the protrusions 112 ofthe side edge 111 of the rear frame 110 so as to define a cable groove Cto fix the lamp cable 122 led out from the leading-out area B. In theembodiment, any one of the crooks 132′ also can project from the sideedge 111 of the rear frame 110, and the opening direction of any one ofthe crooks 132′ face to the lamp cable 122. For preventing the damage ofthe lamp cable 122 from the protrusion 112 of the rear frame 110, thecrooks 132,132′ or the other parts, a heat shrinkable tube or aninsulating material can be utilized to cover the lamp cable 122 and theprotrusions 112. These cables fixing apparatus can be applied to thedirect-type backlight module or the side-light type backlight module.

To sum up the foregoing descriptions, the invention utilizes theprotrusions of the rear frame to be the barricade so as to avoid thedisplacement problem. Besides, the protrusions and the crooks formed bymold frame cooperate to define a cable groove to arrange and fix thelamp cable so as to prevent the lamp cable from the broken problembecause of an external force. Moreover, all of the descriptionabovementioned can be implemented in limited space and cables holder isunnecessary so that the production cost will be lower down.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention havebeen presented for purposes of illustrations and description. They arenot intended to be exclusive or to limit the invention to the preciseforms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations arepossible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen anddescribed in order to best explain the principles of the invention andits practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the artto best utilize the invention and various embodiments with variousmodifications as are suited to particular use contemplated. It isintended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claimsappended hereto and their equivalents.

1. A cables fixing apparatus for a backlight module comprising: a rearframe having a leading-out area in a side of said rear frame with aplurality of protrusions extending from an upper edge thereof; a lampcable led out from said leading-out area; and a mold frame provided witha plurality of crooks, wherein each of said crooks faces one of saidprotrusions on said upper edge of said rear frame so as to define acable groove, and said lamp cable is accommodated and fixed in saidcable groove along an edge of said rear frame.
 2. The cables fixingapparatus for a backlight module according to claim 1, wherein said rearframe is made of the metal.
 3. The cables fixing apparatus for abacklight module according to claim 1, wherein said rear frame furthercomprises a base plate.
 4. The cables fixing apparatus for a backlightmodule according to claim 1, further comprising a heat shrinkable tubeutilized to cover said lamp cable.
 5. The cables fixing apparatus for abacklight module according to claim 1, further comprising an insulatingmaterial utilized to cover said lamp cables.
 6. The cables fixingapparatus for a backlight module according to claim 1, wherein saidcables fixing apparatus for backlight module is applied to one of adirect-light type backlight module and a side-light type backlightmodule.